PEOPLE – Earl of Zetland and the Freemasons

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 20/05/1870.

THE EARL OF ZETLAND AND THE FREEMASONS 

            At the installation of the Earl De Grey and Ripon as Ground Master of the Freemasons on Saturday, at the Freemasons Hall, London, (the Prince of Wales being present) the Earl of Zetland, in reply to the toast of his health, in which his retirement was alluded to, said: Brethren, I hope you will indulge me with silence, that I may endeavour to express the gratitude I feel at the manner in which you have received this toast. I need hardly sure you that I cannot find words to express to you my feelings on this occasion. After having presided over the craft for 26 years, it is beyond my power to express my gratitude for the kind of welcome you have accorded to the toast so kindly given by my esteemed brother (the Earl of Dalhousie) on my right hand. Since I have had the honour to presided as Grand Master, it has been my anxious and constant desire to do my duty, and if I have succeeded in performing it to the satisfaction of the craft in general, and to my friends in particular, I may ascribe it to the assistance of able and anxious brethren, who have given me advice on every occasion that I have asked for it. I assure you I appreciate most highly. The manner in which you have received the compliments paid to my administration of your affairs for 26 years, and it is also a great pleasure to me that my name will be coupled with that of an illustrious personage; for I called it to be a great advantage to the craft that the Prince of Wales has condescended to join us. That is an important event in the history of my reign over the craft, at the end of which the Prince of Wales became a mason, and occupied the position of Past Grand Master, and in every way identified himself with the interests and welfare of its institutions. It will always be to me a pride to carry out the best interests of Freemasonry. (Cheers.)